The Nightmares
by dizzygirl464
Summary: Set after breaking Dawn, slightly AU. Bella is having nightmares, but how is she sleeping? Vampires dont sleep, full stop. But in her silent dreams an assailant, an invisible attacker is creeping closer. Will the Cullens make this one out alive?
1. The Beginning

He smiled absent-mindedly, fondly tucking that obstinate strand of dark hair behind her ear. Her warm body seemed to mold around his own, tucked tightly against his stomach. And he wouldn't have changed it for the world. How he loved watching her sleep. Her lips would twitch every so often, in a silent thought he'd never hear. Her breathing, so easy, so peaceful -

"Is she still sleeping?" Edward sat up suddenly as Alice's incredulous voice rang clear to him through the darkness. How could he have been so wrapped up in thought that he hadn't noticed her approaching?

Carefully de-tangling himself from Bella, he was standing within an instant only a few feet from Alice. He could see her clearly in the darkness, her bright eyes watching Bella curiously.

"I believe this is my home Alice?" he murmured, watching her through his dark amber eyes.

"I was just wondering what two vampires, one of which can _sleep_ get up to at night?" she replied quickly, teasingly, although her could detect a dark note in her tone.

Edwards tensed body relaxed and he chuckled under his breath. "It's not that interesting."

"I can see. How long does she sleep for?"

Although Alice's banter was calm and casual, Edward could detect the sadness in her voice. He deliberately blocked her thoughts from his mind - he felt no need to intrude her privacy. He watched as Alice's danced silently towards the sofa and lay upon it, mirroring Bella's sleeping position exactly. He was sure if she knew what he was thinking, Bella would violently disagree, but to him, Alice could not compare to Bella's beauty, and peace. He smiled at the thought of what arguments she would use.

"How does she do it?" Alice whispered, almost to herself, though of course Edward could hear her clear voice.

"Alice, you know there differences between us and her. It's part of who she is."

"I know. But I didn't choose this life, it chose me. Sometimes I wonder ..."

In a flash Edward was at her side, a frown creasing his perfect, marble face, an instinctive growl murmuring from his throat. He _had_ heard that thought.

"Calm down," she grinned. "Only a passing wonder. But if I _did _somehow get someone to do it ... where do you think I would go? Is there a heaven for vampires? Or do you think I'd go straight to hell." She bared her teeth, and they flashed in the darkness.

"I think this is hell enough," he replied thoughtfully, his eyes wandering back to Bella's sleeping form. "I cant accept that I have condemned her to the same fate."

Alice's thoughts darted straight back at him. "She understands, but you know ..." her voice tailed off, but an image in her, clear as though it was happening in the very room flashed in front of him eyes. Bella, his Bella, facing the Volturi. Because of him ... "Alice," he hissed defensively.

She shrugged, her eyes wide and innocent. "Only a passing thought Edward. But it will happen eventually. That much I'm sure of." And she left, without so much as a glance.

"Edward ..."

His eyes flashed back to Bella, afraid his argument had awoken her. He laughed inwardly, imagining what it was seem like to her - hearing him seemingly talk to himself. But he had not woken her. Dreaming again.

"Please stop it. NO! Please, help, no ..." her terrified cries shot through him like physical pain. He wrapped his arms around her, encasing her in a solid shell, gently trying to awaken her.

"Edward, whats happening?" Carlisles concerned voice echoed from the doorway. Of course Bella's scream would have awoken them.

"She's dreaming again. I dont understand it. Vampires aren't supposed to sleep! It's never been this bad ... a nightmare?" his thoughts came out in a jumbled murmur.

Carlisle bent down in front of her, peeling her eyelid open He didn't need a light to see everything in a lot more detail that any human could. "Doesn't seem so. Her eyes are still."

"So .. she's not sleeping?" His voice came out cracked, concern marring his tone.

"Doesn't seem to be. Maybe this is part of her talent. Her defensive. She blocks peoples abilities out - her mind might just need time to recover." He replied, although Edward could clearly hear the concern in his voice, and thoughts.

"Is there something wrong with her?" he asked slowly and carefully.

"We can only wait until she wakes. Then we can talk to her. Has Renesmee awoken?"

"Rose will come if there's a problem." he replied absently, staring at his wife. It hurt him ... really hurt him inside to watch her struggle in her sleep against a silent assailant he would never understand.

"You don't think it's the Volturi?" he asked suddenly. "Bella's said herself she thinks there are ... are holes in her defensive shield. What if they found one? She's the biggest threat they've known in a long time." his thoughts came out in a jumbled mess.

"Edward please. NO!"

And then she awoke ...


	2. The Twist

"I - I'm sorry, I just can't remember."

Edward listened to Bella's chiming voice as she struggled to explain last nights disturbance. Something was unsettling him about the nightmares- he just couldn't bring it to the front of his mind from among the other jumbled thoughts coursing through his head.

"Carlisle ..." she tailed off, struggling to voice her concerns. "Is there something wrong with me? I mean, obviously," she gestured over her glittering skin that glowed like a million diamonds in the morning sun, "but something ... you know. Vampires don't sleep! Ever. It's just me."

At that, Edward stepped smartly forward, pulling Bella's into his embrace. She couldn't have ever imagined feeling warm in his arms before now.

"Bella, you're special, and you're unique," he whispered fiercely into the whorls of her ear. "Don't forget that, and don't punish yourself for it." Although he knew she would never fully believe his words, he had to tell her a fraction of the love and respect he felt for her.

"However, I am concerned about what these ... seeming nightmares are doing to you. We cannot wake you when you're dreaming, and look -" Carlisle pointed to her pale skin - the purple smudges beneath them were growing more pronounced every night. "I shall contact some friends, investigate. Do not concern yourself further," he clapped a hand to her shoulder, a fatherly rather than friendly motion, and smile creasing his flawless skin.

"Rosie, please bring Renesmee to me," Bella murmured, though Edward knew that, of course, Rosalie would hear her. Bella had taken to calling Rosalie by a nickname soon after the stand-of with the Volturi - a friendship had bloomed between them.

"Bella, please tell me what you're thinking," Edward whispered, twirling his fingers in her dark hair. The stark contrast of white and black did not go unnoticed by either of them.

"I'm just ... concerned. I mean, it's me!" she attempted to grin, throwing her hands up in the air like a joke, but the smile turned to a grimace and her gestures looked helpless. "It's me," she said quieter. Edward pulled her into another hug, this time pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Bell, you're fine."

"But I cannot remember even sleeping last night, let alone dreaming! 12 hours are passing me by, without me having any recollection of their existance!"

Her words sparked a memory in Edward. That was what was concerning him. Whenever she had awoken from a nightmare in her human life she had shared it with him, gone through every detail, and he remembered being amazed at how clear everything was. These were not normal nightmares.

"What's wrong mummy?" Both vampires turned to face their little girl. Although her growth rate had slowed she was still progressing much faster than an average child, and was the size of a 7 year old. Her curls were pinned back in a little ponytail, and she was dressed in a dark denim pinafore, setting off her blue eyes. Bella smiled. Alice loved having a little girl in the house to play dress up with - Renesmee enjoyed it as much as she did.

"Nothing sweetheart," Bella murmured, lifting her child into her arms as though she was nothing but a feather. Suddenly her eyes went blank, and her hands dropped to her sides. Edward darted forwards in time to catch his daughter, who began to wail when she saw the dead expression on her mothers face.

"Rose, get Renesmee out of here," he shouted. Rosalie immediately appeared at his side, grabbing Renesmee and leaving the room.

"Bella, bella love, can you hear me?" he whispered, stroking her smooth, soft cheeks, trying to grasp her attention. Before he could fully understand the situaton in his panic, Bella dropped to the floor, her eyes now closed, fingers, and legs twitching. Moans drifted every now and then from her mouth.

"BELLA! Bella, love wake up, please," he begged, grabbing her shoulders.

Her eyes snapped open, and he leapt backed in surprise, an instinctive growl rising from his throat. The irises of her large, dark-lashed framed eyes were a startling red. She grinned at him, almost menacingly, baring her teeth. The moment only lasted an instant. By the time it took a human to blink - the time it took him to regain his position by her side, she was helping herself up, trembling slightly, her eyes back to their normal amber.

"Edward? What happened ... where's Renesmee?" her frightened pleas for information hurt him, like constant wasp stings, but he was not prepared to tell her what he had just witnessed in her face.

"Edward?"


End file.
